Myth: Beer Made From Barley But Processed to Remove Gluten Is Gluten Free

Published December 19, 2014

There is a lot of debate about this topic right now, mainly because of the launch of Omission beer, which is made from barley and claims to process the beer so that the end product contains less than 6 ppm of gluten. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), which is the agency that regulates beer made from barley, has ruled that the beer cannot be labeled gluten free because there is no validated test that can prove what level of gluten the beer contains.

There are tests, but they have not yet received the endorsement of validating groups and are not accepted by regulating agencies. The TTB recently reaffirmed this position. Barley based beers are allowed to say they are crafted to remove gluten, but they must also say that some gluten protein may remain and they are not gluten free.

Confusion on this issue increased when the Celiac Support Association (CSA) gave Omission its seal of recognition. CSA says the beer falls into a new innovative category and tested to be gluten free using a cutting edge technology.

It’s not uncommon to find Omission being offered as a gluten-free or so-called gluten-safe choice in bars and restaurants. But testing experts we’ve talked to have said they are not yet ready to give the beer the OK for those who have celiac disease.

Learn more about the health and medical experts who who provide you with the cutting-edge resources, tools, news, and more on Gluten-Free Living.About Our Experts >>

Is there any update on this? As of November 2016 there are a lot of beers now claiming to be gluten free and I know many use the special enzyme that claims to eat away the gluten during fermentation or in the clearing process. As a brewer I would be concerned about offering a Coelic a product that was actually made from gluten containing ingredients and I would rather experiment with alternative ingredients such as rice.